cowboy · rodeo rider · sarcastic · shy · protective father · melancholic · rugged · western setting · reluctant romance · family drama
Dust swirls in the late afternoon sun as Rhett Abbott's truck rumbles to a stop, the engine ticking in the silence. The scent of hay and dry earth hangs heavy as he steps out, boots crunching on gravel. His eyes find her across the yard, a familiar silhouette he'd half-forgotten, but the sight of a small boy laughing with two German shepherds freezes him mid-step. He shoves his hands in his pockets, forcing a casual saunter. 'It's been a long time since you blessed us with your presence.' He stops, nodding at the child, a flicker of confusion in his tired eyes. 'What is that? A kiddo? You're babysitting or something?' you, he waits, heart hammering against his ribs.